Patents Assigned to Kohler Co.
  • Publication number: 20240151322
    Abstract: A process includes placing a collar around a valve cartridge, the valve cartridge comprising a valve stem. The process also includes aligning the valve stem with an engagement crown of a handle such that an opening of the handle is located over the collar. The process also includes press fitting the valve stem into the engagement crown while pressing the handle towards the collar and such that the valve stem is rotatably coupled to the handle through the engagement crown. The process also includes rotating the handle relative to the collar to rotate the valve stem after press fitting the valve stem into the engagement crown.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 17, 2024
    Publication date: May 9, 2024
    Applicant: Kohler Co.
    Inventors: Brian J. Mooren, Andrew J. Rieth
  • Publication number: 20240151015
    Abstract: A showerhead assembly includes a handshower and a docking mechanism. The handshower includes a mounting puck mountably coupled to a rear portion of the handshower. The docking mechanism is configured to receive the handshower. The docking mechanism includes a cradle assembly positioned adjacent the handshower that is configured to receive the mounting puck. The cradle assembly includes a first portion, a second portion, and a first O-ring. The second portion is adjacent the first portion. The second portion includes a face extending along a rear of the first portion. The first O-ring is provided annularly about a perimeter of the first portion and the second portion to secure the first portion and the second portion relative to one another. Upon receiving the mounting puck, the mounting puck urges the first portion into an open position to receive the mounting puck within the cradle assembly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 1, 2023
    Publication date: May 9, 2024
    Applicant: Kohler Co.
    Inventor: Brian C. Wick
  • Patent number: 11976449
    Abstract: A sensing faucet assembly includes a faucet body, an input water control unit, a control box, and a sensor. The faucet body includes a faucet water passage. The control box includes a first water passage and a second water passage. The input water control unit includes a water inlet, a first water outlet, and a second water outlet. The first water passage communicates with the faucet water passage and the first water outlet, and the control box is equipped with a solenoid valve. The second water passage communicates with the faucet water passage and the second water outlet, and the input water control unit is provided with a valve core for controlling the communication and the blocking of the second water outlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2024
    Assignee: KOHLER CO.
    Inventors: Jiagao Huang, Peng Zhang
  • Patent number: 11974703
    Abstract: An apparatus for a portable toilet includes a film storage compartment and a plurality of transport wheels. The film storage compartment is configured to store a liner having a tubular shape. The plurality of transport wheels is configured to transport the liner through a serpentine space. At least one of the plurality of transport wheels includes a high friction area and a hollow area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2024
    Assignee: Kohler Co.
    Inventors: Michael Luettgen, Yogesh Pansare, Swapnil Borade
  • Patent number: 11965322
    Abstract: A toilet includes an inlet structure, a bowl structure, and an outlet structure. The inlet structure is configured to receive water. The bowl structure has a toilet bowl including a rim and a sump, a split fluidly connected to the inlet structure and including a first passage and a second passage, a shelf located below the rim of the toilet bowl and fluidly connected to the first passage, a side channel fluidly connected to the second passage, and a diverter that redirects the water from the side channel to the sump of the toilet bowl. The outlet structure is fluidly connected to the sump and is configured to discharge water from the sump into a drain.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2024
    Assignee: Kohler Co.
    Inventors: Tony L. Lambert, Daniel N. Halloran, Andrew L. Smith
  • Publication number: 20240125101
    Abstract: A shower system includes a sprayer moveably coupled with a shower column and a control system operably coupled with the sprayer. The control system can automatically change a position of the sprayer along the shower column.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 12, 2023
    Publication date: April 18, 2024
    Applicant: Kohler Co.
    Inventor: Hiroyuki Chanseol Muraoka
  • Patent number: 11958065
    Abstract: A water delivery device includes an inlet connector, a sprayface assembly, and a selection engine. The inlet connector is configured to couple the water delivery device to a water supply. The sprayface assembly includes a plurality of nozzles that are configured to produce a plurality of spray patterns. The selection engine fluidly couples the inlet connector to the sprayface assembly and controls flow to each one of the plurality of nozzles to determine the spray pattern produced at the sprayface assembly. The selection engine is configured to switch directly from any one of the plurality of spray patterns to any other one of the plurality of spray patterns in response to a single actuation of the selection engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: KOHLER CO.
    Inventors: Evan Yee, Brian S. Core
  • Patent number: 11946577
    Abstract: A method of installing a plumbing fixture to an outlet of a water supply assembly located behind a wall includes providing a plumbing fixture including an attachment structure. The method also includes providing an adapter configured to couple the plumbing fixture to an outlet of a water supply assembly. The adapter includes an annular body, a plurality of collars, and an engagement structure. The annular body extends between a first end and a second end and defining a bore extending therethrough. The plurality of collars is provided along an exterior of the annular body and spaced inwardly from the first end such that each of the collars is separated from an adjacent one of the collars in a lateral direction by a recess. The engagement structure is provided along the exterior at the second end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: KOHLER CO.
    Inventor: Matthew J. Ball
  • Patent number: 11949533
    Abstract: A voice controlled device comprises a housing, a dock, a coupling mechanism, and a microphone. The dock is configured to connect the housing to a plurality of host appliances. The coupling mechanism is configured to receive an identification value indicative of docking between the voice controlled device and a currently connected host appliance of the plurality of host appliances. The microphone is configured to receive one or more voice inputs for the currently connected host appliance. A command is provided based on the one or more voice inputs and the identification value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: Kohler Co.
    Inventors: Rafael Rexach, Jessica Schroeder, Miguel Arciniega, Ashley Springer, Shi Chao Zhang, Marwan Estiban, Anne Krauter, Perry Erickson, Anil Pendyala, Erin Geiger
  • Patent number: 11933031
    Abstract: A tank assembly for a pressure-assist toilet includes a flush assembly having an outer chamber and an inner chamber disposed in the outer chamber. The flush assembly further includes a flush valve disposed in the inner chamber, and a pilot valve disposed in the inner chamber and extending through the flush valve. The tank assembly further includes an actuator engaging the pilot valve and configured to hold the pilot valve at each of a first height, a second height offset a first distance from the first height, and a third height offset a second distance from the first height greater than a first distance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: Kohler Co.
    Inventors: William C. Kuru, William Kalk
  • Publication number: 20240082856
    Abstract: A shower system includes a shower assembly and a mounting system. The shower assembly includes a reservoir configured to receive water from a water source and one or more outlets for passing water from the reservoir. The shower assembly also includes a plurality of shower mounting features provided in a first non-adjustable spatial orientation on the shower assembly. The mounting system is configured to couple the shower assembly to a building structure and adjust a position of the shower assembly relative to the building structure. The mounting system includes a bracket configured to be coupled to the building structure at a fixed position. The mounting system also includes a plurality of bracket mounting features provided in a second non-adjustable spatial orientation on the bracket and configured to align each of the plurality of bracket mounting features with one of the shower mounting features for coupling thereto.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 21, 2023
    Publication date: March 14, 2024
    Applicant: Kohler Co.
    Inventors: Rafael Alfredo Rexach, Stephanie Szemetylo, David J. Richter-O'Connell, Jeffrey James Elsesser, James S. Giefer
  • Patent number: 11927588
    Abstract: An intelligent toilet that includes a toilet base having a bowl, a seat assembly comprising a seat, and a urine collection system integrated with the seat assembly, wherein the urine collection system includes an analyzer that is configured to test urine from a user and provide output health data of the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignee: Kohler Co.
    Inventors: Luncheak Tan, Chinghua Chen
  • Patent number: 11918113
    Abstract: A sink is provided. The sink includes a basin having a front wall. The sink includes a rim supported at and extending outwardly from an upper end of the front wall in a substantially horizontal orientation. The sink includes an apron extending from the rim. The apron extends vertically between a top wall and an opposing bottom wall and laterally between a first side wall and an opposing second side wall. The apron is coupled to the basin only at the top wall of the apron by the rim. The apron extends laterally outward past the rim such that a first rear edge of the first side wall and a second rear edge of the second side wall are spaced apart from the rim.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: Kohler Co.
    Inventors: Shawn J. Booth, James S. Giefer
  • Patent number: 11920336
    Abstract: A toilet that includes a tank configured to hold water from a water supply; a reservoir fluidly connected to the tank and configured to hold a cleaning compound comprising a chemical compound and water from the water supply; and an actuator configured to control a flush cycle of the toilet upon a first activation, the actuator including at least one nozzle fluidly connected to the reservoir and configured to discharge an amount of the cleaning compound external to the tank upon at least one of the first activation or a second activation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: Kohler Co.
    Inventors: Michael Luettgen, William Kuru, Clayton Garrels, Peter W. Denzin
  • Patent number: D1016986
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: Kohler Co.
    Inventors: Tory L. Hayner, Gregory de Swarte, Drew Johnson
  • Patent number: D1016990
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: Kohler Co.
    Inventors: Niels J. Eilmus, Evan M. Grybush
  • Patent number: D1017770
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignee: Kohler Co.
    Inventor: Drew Johnson
  • Patent number: D1018074
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: Kohler Co.
    Inventors: Alexander V. LeTourneau, Dongha Lee, Zhiyu Liu, Shawn J. Booth
  • Patent number: D1020038
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: Kohler Co.
    Inventors: Erin Leigh Hoover, Nicholas Robert Rindt, Dennis Lee Snyder, Seth M. Stevens, Maxwell Wasscher, Luke James Worth, Jovello Tijano Gomez, Jr.
  • Patent number: D1024294
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2024
    Assignee: Kohler Co.
    Inventor: Erich D. Slothower